


His Greatest Steal

by Girl_with_the_tiger_eyes



Category: Uncharted (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Near Death Experiences, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-13
Updated: 2016-07-20
Packaged: 2018-07-23 21:00:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7479828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Girl_with_the_tiger_eyes/pseuds/Girl_with_the_tiger_eyes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>15 years ago, Samuel Drake died in prison, and from that moment on, Evelyn has been haunted by the memory of him and all the things left unsaid between them.<br/>The two of them met at 17, both orphans looking for greatness in a dim looking future. But then one night everything changes, and Evelyn  and the two Drake brothers are suddenly thrust into their own adventure, and they'd be together forever, right?<br/>Wrong.<br/>Sam died. Life went on without him. Or so Eve was led to believe.<br/>But now Sam's back, and in desperate need of Henry Avery's treasure to settle a debt owed to the dangerous con that busted him out of prison.<br/>So the team is back together, but things are not the same as before, and Alcazar isn't the only trouble chasing Samuel Drake.<br/>Good thing Eve's always ready for a fight.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Lure of Adventure

I was still only a kid when my life changed. I'd only been officially 17 for less than an hour when adventure came knocking at my bedroom window. I glanced at the clock on the wall, seeing that it was almost midnight, meaning it could only be one person. I tumbled out of bed and quickly crossed the room to open the window. 

Sure enough, hanging from my window sill was none other than Samuel Morgan- my best friend, and first adventure.

"You gonna leave me hanging here, or can I come in?"

Realising I'd been blocking his way, I nodded and quickly stepped aside, watching as he pulled himself up, grunting with the effort it required, and then slid into my room, landing on his feet with an unnatural grace for someone so tall.

Before I could demand what he was doing there, he placed a hand over my mouth and grinned.   
"Cute pajamas," he whispered, nodding at the pink, bunny themed shorts and tank top I was wearing.

I blushed, regretting not grabbing a hoodie before letting him in. Glaring at him, I ignored his comment and crossed my arms over my chest. "What are you doing here, Sam? It's the middle of the night, and if Sister Agnes hears us, we're both dead!" I warned, but Sam just waved me off, unworried.

"That old bat can bite me. Besides, you think I'm gonna let her stand in the way of me giving my number one girl her birthday present?" He smirked,  producing a small, wrapped gift from his backpack and holding it out to me.  
I felt my heart swell in my chest as I looked at him. No one had remembered my birthday that day, not any of the Nuns, and none of the other 19 girls that lived with me in Sister Agnes' Home For Young Ladies. Yet there Sam was, nearly two full months since I'd seen him last, holding out a present and beaming.

"Oh sam!" I laughed as I rushed forward and hugged him. "I can't believe you remembered!"

His embrace was warm and comforting, even if we were both a little shocked at my reaction, and he held me close as he answered into my hair. "Of course I did! It's not every day your future wife turns 17."

I laughed and pulled away, pushing him playfully as I shook my head. "Sam! Stop being such a goofball!" 

He laughed but shrugged. "What? It's the truth. One day I'm gonna marry you. It's just how it is," he stated simply. Just as simply as he'd put it when he first said it to me after only knowing me for half a day, so many months before.

"I won't even date you, what makes you think I'd ever consider marrying you?" I teased, prodding his shoulder, but he just winked and offered me the gift again.

Smiling, I took it from him and carefully removed the wrapping paper. Inside was a beautiful gold pocket watch, but inside it had a compass instead of a watch, and on the back it had the initials C.M. 

I turned it over in my hands, inspecting it, and wondering what it's story was. It was well worn, with hundreds of tiny scratches and little dents in it, but it still worked.

"It's not new, and I didn't pay for it... But I figured you should have it... It belonged to my mom," he admitted, and suddenly my heart clenched.

"Sam..." I started, trying to hand it back, but he shook his head and closed his fingers gently around my own, keeping the compass in my hand.

"I want you to have it... Something to remember me by while I'm gone..."

I blinked slowly, wondering if I'd heard wrong. "Wait, what? What do you mean remember you? Where are you going?" I rushed, praying he hadn't done something stupid and wasn't in some sort of trouble.

He just sighed and sat down on the window sill, looking a little sad. "I got a job. Working away for some time. It'll suck to begin with, but after a year, I'll be able to take Nathan and we'll have..."

"A year?" I cut in, my mind whirring as it struggled to process what he was saying. He was going away. Sam. My Sam. He was leaving and I'd be alone again... it took all my willpower not to beg him to stay. I wanted it more than anything, but he needed to do it for him and his brother, so I kept my mouth shut. That didn't stop the tears from stinging my eyes though, so I quickly turned away from him and walked to my wardrobe to get some clothes.

"So is that why you're here then? To say goodbye? I'm getting used to them now, so don't worry about me. Do what you need to," I whispered as I threw the clothes on my bed. I wasn't going to be able to sleep now, so no matter what Sam did, I'd be leaving my room too.

I heard him take a deep breath before answering me. "No. That's not the only reason I'm here. What say we go out with a bang, eh? One last job?"

That peeked my interest. Sam and I had been on a few 'jobs', mainly looking for some journals of his mom's,  but occasionally we'd stolen things to sell on to raise money for our separate ventures.

I was planning on running away from the orphanage, and Sam just wanted to make his brother happy. We were a strange trio, but we understood each other, more so than anyone else ever did. Which was why it was so hard to know that Sam was leaving. Maybe that was why I decided to take the job that night, to 'go out with a bang' as he'd put it. But that was the decision that changed my life in such a way that there was never any going back. And so began our first adventure.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx   
"He's getting good at this," I whispered to Sam as we watched Nate sneak out of a window and climb around the side of the building. Even I could hear the hint of pride in my voice as we watched him. I loved Nate like he was my own brother, which was why I knew I should be getting used to the layout of these roofs. When Sam was gone, I'd be making sure to come visit Nate whenever I could. No way in hell was I gonna leave him alone in the orphanage. I'd been through it myself before I met the two of them, and it wasn't something I was gonna let someone else feel, especially if that person was Nathan Morgan.

"Well he did learn from the best," Sam whispered back smugly, and I snorted softly and nudged his shoulder. 

"Oh please. If you'd have taken any longer to get up here, he'd have been asleep!" I teased, smirking at him. He blushed slightly, making me laugh more. The two of us had raced up to the roof, and I'd beaten him by a good 30 seconds. 

"I was being a gentleman. I let the lady win... Besides, you're lighter than me, so it's easier to pull yourself up!" He tried, but I pulled a face and took off running, clearing the distance between the buildings before turning back and answering him.

"But you're taller so you can reach things easier. I have to look for other paths..."

Sam landed beside me and dusted his jeans off. "Fine. You win. But when I get back, you and me are having a rematch. Then we'll see who's the best!" 

Chuckling,I shook his outstretched hand and nodded. "Challenge accepted."

Though it wasn't.  I'd be gone long before he got back. This might be the last night I ever saw him, a thought that made me sad, so I put it out of my mind and focused on getting to the roof where we'd be meeting Nate.

When we were stood there, Sam dumped his pack and torch before grabbing my hand and pulling me into the shadows to hide from Nate. I shook my head at him but played along.

"Sam?" Nate called from across the roof as he headed towards the light, bending to pick it up. Suddenly Sam was moving, running up behind him to grab him and pick him up.

"You gotta learn to watch your back!" He laughed as Nate grinned and twisted out of his grip, so I took that as a sign to say I could come out too. When Nate saw me, his face lit up even more, but before he could say anything, I frowned and gently touched the bruises on his face.

"What the hell happened?" I demanded, my blood boiling at the thought of someone hurting Nate. Only made worse when he explained what had actually gone down and what Sister Catherine had said. Sam was the complete opposite, telling Nate not to worry about what people said about them. My anger got the better of me though and I took Nate's hand.

"You want me to kick their ass? Because I will. No one touches you and gets away with it!" I promised, but Nate just laughed and shook his head.

"They're all away at some bible retreat. It's just me, sister Catherine and Father Duffy now..." He explained, and I shrugged.

"I'll fight the nun. She sounds like a bitch anyway. I bet she's got some sick ninja moves too, and she just pretends to be a nun. That okay?" I asked,  a smile creeping back into my voice despite my anger. Nate just laughed again before turning back to Sam who had been watching the conversation thoughtfully.

"I've got a surprise for you. Let's get out of here!" He announced, leading the way across the roof and to the next climb. I brought up the back, just incase Nate should slip, I'd have his back.

It didn't take long for us to reach Sams bike, Nate and I often having to find different routes to Sam, due to our short reach. But we made it, and there was across brief moment of joy before Nate figured something was going on and demanded Sam tell him.

I stepped away to give the two of them some privacy, crossing the road to inspect the sign above the orphanage gate. I could still hear Nathan freaking out that Sam was leaving, and hear the older brother try to calm him down before promising him another surprise in the form of their mothers lost belongings. I already knew of course, but I was still excited about finding them. It meant so much to the two of them, and I just prayed we found them that night.

A couple of seconds later and Sam was gesturing for me to come over and get on the bike. It was a tight fit, but the three of us were off, heading for the adventure that would change everything.


	2. Infernal Place

"Nate! Sam! It's so good to see you two again!" I laughed as I greeted my two longest friends. It'd been a couple of years since the three of us last worked together, but by chance the three of us were brought back together by a mutual friend.

They walked into my hotel room behind said friend, Rafe Adler. He and I had been dating for little over a year when he expressed his interest in working with some men he'd met to find the treasure of Henry Avery. Almost immediately I'd been sure he was talking about the Drake brothers, and sure enough, it was the two of them that came back with him.

"Evelyn? My god, what are you doing here?" Nate laughed as he dropped his bags and picked me up in a bone crushing hug. I just laughed and held onto him, noticing how Sam stood behind him, his face showing his own surprise at finding me there.

I waved at him from over Nate back and he smiled and gave me a small wave back. 

There was something strange about his expression, and I wondered if it had anything to do with the argument we'd had last time we worked together. I debated just saying outright that it was in the past, but that meant the other two would hear, so instead I ignored it, hoping to explain later.

I felt Rafe step closer to me in answer to Nate's question, entwining his fingers with my own. "This is my girlfriend and partner in this hunt. I'd introduce you, but it would appear that you all know each other somehow..." He trailed off slightly, clearly waiting for an explanation, so I dragged my eyes away from Sam and turned to him.

"We were kids together. We got into this whole thing together and worked a few jobs too. I haven't seen them in a while though! I can't believe they're here!" I laughed again, slightly more forced this time as I saw the strange look on Sams face. Clearly he was not happy about something, and I could only guess that it was working with me again.

Rafe was oblivious though and chuckled himself. "Well that saves on the introductions. So what do you say we get down to work?"

I nodded and led the way to the spare double bed in our room where we'd sprawled the plans out, going over each step of what we'd have to do to find the first puzzle piece. It involved breaking into an old prison and searching for clues in the cell of an old pirate. After a few hours though, the four of us were still debating on how best to get to it.

"Well I'm the smallest, and so less likely to be seen. I could hike across here," I said, trailing the path on the map in front of us, "and then climb the ruins. Then when I've searched the area, I can make my way to you guys who can wait on a boat near by..."

Sam seemed to be considering it, but the other two shook their heads. "It's too dangerous, Eve. What if you get caught?" Nate tried, and Rafe nodded.

"You have no idea what they might do to you in there. What possible reason could you have for trespassing?" 

I rolled my eyes and stood up, going to the other bed and digging around in my suitcase for a second before turning back to the others, a camera in my hand and a badge around my neck.

"I'm so sorry! I'm a History student doing my final paper on the history of Pirates and was looking for some pictures! I didn't know I was trespassing, I'm so, so sorry! Please don't throw me in jail!" I sobbed, laying on the innocent act thick, and I saw the three men share a look before nodding.

"That could work..." Nate started, looking sold by my performance, so I grinned and wiped away imaginary tears before taking a bow, but then Rafe was speaking again.

"What if they shoot first and ask questions later? They might think you're an escaping inmate and shoot you on sight... No, it's too risky. I'm not letting you risk your life for what could be an empty cell. We'll find another way."

I pulled a face and was just about to argue when he gave me a look and repeated himself. "We'll find another way."

I shut my mouth and sat down, knowing it was no use arguing with him once he'd made his mind up. He was almost as stubborn as I was, and I didn't feel like having that argument right then.

Two days later and I wished I'd put up more of a fight. 

"You three are insane! Breaking into a prison! You're gonna get yourselves killed!" I snapped as I navigated the winding roads that led up to the prison.

Rafe was sat beside me, his hand gently resting on my thigh as I drove, his grip tightening slightly every time I went around a corner on two wheels. "Babe, we're not breaking in. I bribed them. We're gonna be fine. Just make sure you're waiting for us on the boat in three days. We've got each other's backs, don't worry."

How could he say that to me? Don't worry! I knew that I would be getting no sleep until he was safely back next to me and the other two were in the next room. Until then, I'd be up all night pacing and worrying about them. Yeah they were all capable and had a guard on their side, but there was still the other inmates. What if they were targeted? What if something went wrong and they got separated?

I didn't realise I'd zoned out until Rafe shook my leg slightly, and I came back to myself, realising I'd parked the car and we were here. I looked at him, my stomach tied in knots. I had a terrible feeling about this, and though I wanted to tell them all to stay and we'd find another way, I put it down to nerves and took a deep breath, looking at Rafe.

He gave me his usual cocky smile and reached out to touch my face. "I love you," he promised, and I smirked and nodded.

"I know. Now you three better watch each other's backs and I'll see you in three days... Don't," I started, as Rafe leaned in for a kiss. "Be late," I finished sternly, and heard chuckles followed by three "yes, ma'ams". Rafe closed the distance between our mouths and kissed me while the others climbed out of the back doors, giving us a moment. His kiss was tender and sweet, more of a goodbye kiss than a BRB, I noticed with some concern, but once again ignored it, knowing I was freaking out about their plan. But it'd be fine. In three days we'd all be back together on the boat, hopefully with some clue as to where we'd be going next. So I let Rafe go and watched as the three of them walked into prison, the gate slamming shut behind them.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx   
Three days later and I was on edge. I'd barely slept since they left, and now I was shaking slightly as I sat on the boat and watched the sun begin it's decent over the horizon, chewing on my thumb nail.

It was all quiet out, so I was truly alone with my thoughts, multiple images assaulting my brain of the three of them left bloody and dying in some long forgotten cell, waiting on a rescue that would never come...

I almost tore my thumb nail off as gunfire sounded over head, coming from the prison. Despite it all, I grinned and ran for the front of the boat, starting the engines. Gunfire meant they were still alive. At least for now, so I quickly started the engine and grabbed a pistol in case anyone should follow them down. 

Maybe five minutes later and the first of the three came flying off the cliff, yelling as they headed for the water. There was a splash and a couple of seconds later their head broke the water, just as another guy hit it. I was at the back of the boat in an instant, reaching for the guys in the water, helping the first into the boat, and then the second. Even in the dim light I could tell it was Rafe and Nate, so I quickly looked back up the cliff, waiting for Sam to appear.

It was only when I finally looked down and realised that Nate was still curled up on the deck, muttering to himself that I realised something had gone wrong.

"Where's Sam? Where's Sam? Where is he? Where's Sam?" I started babbling, not believing what was surely true. Rafe said something to me but I couldn't understand until he moved forward and shook me roughly. 

"He's dead, Evelyn! He's not coming. We need to go!" He yelled, letting go of me with such force that I stumbled a few steps before collapsing on the deck beside Nate while Rafe started the engine. 

Sam was gone? Sam? My Sam? He was gone, and he'd never know that I forgave him. He'd never  know everything that I meant to tell him. My best friend was dead?

I threw up right there on the deck, sobbing violently as I wiped my mouth on my sleeve, crawling a few feet away before falling onto my side and curling up into myself as the sobs racked my body, one word escaping my lips over and over again with every gasp of air.

"SAM SAM SAM SAM SAM SAM..."


	3. The Malaysia Job

15 years later

Stepping off the bus, I looked down at the two addresses scribbled down on the back of my hand and sighed. New Orleans... I'd never been,  but what I'd seen of it so far, it was a nice little place to be. Though of course, I wasn't there for the scenery.

Shouldering my bag, I started walking down the street, heading back towards the sign I'd gone past on the bus. The sign that matched one of the addresses on my hand. Jameson Marine.

They were just getting back when I arrived, butterflies taking off in my stomach at the thought of seeing Nate again after so long. The last time I'd seen him was at his wedding, briefly, and before that, it was in Scotland, almost 15 years ago. We'd kept in contact though, and it was Elena that told me that I should visit. So I did. Nate had no idea I was coming though.

As people walked towards me, I kept my eye out for him, spotting him talking to an older guy, who handed him a file before walking inside. Nate shook his head but kept hold of the file anyway and turned to leave. 

I couldn't help my grin as I saw him, but he had yet to see me through the crowd of people leaving. But then the last of them were gone and I was standing in place, Nate walking towards me. I watched as his eyes passed over me the first time, not even recognising me, but then he seemed to do a double take and snapped his head up to stare at me. I was grinning like a fool, but after a second I dropped my bags and ran at him, attacking him in a hug. He caught me and squeezed me tight, stealing my breath but I didn't care. It was good to be back with him after so long.

"Eve! What are you doing here? God its been too long!" He laughed as he put me down and I nodded and laughed. 

"Definitely! Elena told me I should visit, so I figured what the hell and jumped on a bus. Man its so good to see you. You look good! Smell is a different story, but I'll forgive it this time," I teased, and Nate chuckled as he draped his arm around my shoulder and started leading me back the way I'd came, scooping my bags up and carrying them for me, while asking what I'd been up to.

I shrugged. "Not a whole lot. Odd jobs here and there. Mainly just hitting the gym and work. Though I currently have no job. I was working in a museum, but..."

"Not enough action?" Nate guessed as he tossed my bags in the back of his car and opened my door for me. 

I smirked and nodded. "Pretty much. I was getting edgy staying in one place for so long. It feels good to be on the move again, even just for a few days. What I wouldn't give for another job right now."

Nate chuckled as he started the engine and pulled out of the lot. "I know the feeling. But I'm out. Me and Elena promised and we're settled now. Just normal day jobs for us."

I shrugged. Each to their own I guess. But there was a look in Nate's eye that said he longed for another adventure just as much as I did. Clearly he wasn't as settled as he liked to think.

"So hey, where are you staying? Have you got a place, because Lena and I have a spare room, and you're more than welcome to use it, for however long you need. It'll be nice having you around again. Be like the good old days," he smiled, and I forced one back, knowing that there'd always be that one thing missing from the "good old days". Sam. It broke my heart still, 15 years later, knowing that he wasn't going to be there. Knowing that he was missing things in Nathans life that he would have wanted to be there for. That was one of the reasons I didn't stay long at their wedding. I couldn't stop picturing Sam standing beside him, beaming with pride as his baby brother got married.

Sam Drake was the reason I found it so hard to visit Nate. Not seeing him there killed me every time. So I shook my head at Nate and pulled a piece of paper from my pocket.

"I've booked a hotel room already, but thanks..." I started, pausing for a second before gingerly asking him to drop me off. "I wanted to say hi to Elena today, but the journey killed me and I just wanna crash for a bit. But I'll meet you both for breakfast? You pick the place and I'll buy. I'm pretty sure I owe you from a while back anyway," I grinned, making Nate laugh before agreeing and dropping me off at my hotel, carrying my bags for me while I checked in. 

He stayed long enough for a coffee and then left, leaving me alone once more. Locking the door behind him, I stripped out of my clothes and headed for the bed. I hadn't been lying to Nate when I said I was tired. It wasn't the only reason I bailed on going to his house, but it wasn't a lie.

I didn't even bother pulling back the covers before I collapsed onto the bed and swiftly fell asleep.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx   
Nate  
Sam is alive. Actually alive, living, breathing, and sitting right next to me, Nate thought as he listened to the story of what had happened to Sam after he was shot. Nate almost couldn't believe it. He'd left his brother to rot in jail for 15 years? That did not sit well with him, but almost as if he could hear Nate's thoughts, Sam placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

"It ain't your fault, brother. Shit happens. But I'm out now, that's what's important. That and finding Averys treasure so I can get Alcazar off my back. You said you're in, so now what?" He asked, and Nate sighed before getting to his feet and running his hands through his hair.

"We need a team. But lucky for you, someone stopped by yesterday who I know will be able to help..." He started, waiting for Sam to click on, but he just shrugged.

"Who, Sully?" He guessed, but Nate shook his head and watched his brother carefully as he answered.

"Evelyn."

Though he tried to hide it, Sams face lit up and a small smile came to his lips at the thought of her.

"Evie's here? Right now? Where is she? We should go get her and fill her in," he suggested, meaning to walk past his brother, but Nate reached out and grabbed Sams arm, stopping him as he met his gaze.

"Sam. She's... She's not the same girl you knew..." He explained carefully, and immediately Sam was worried, thinking of everything that could have happened to you while he was gone.

"What do you mean? What happened to her?" He whispered, almost scared to hear the answer, but Nate just shook his head.

"You did," he said simply, watching the confusion on his brothers face for a few seconds before he actually explained. "Sam, when you "died" she was heart broken. I mean... It killed me. It really did. It took me a while to get my head back on. But Evelyn? God, Sam it shattered her. I've never seen her so broken before. It took her a good long while for her to even begin fixing her heart after that. I saw her yesterday, 15 years later, and she is not the same. She might have fixed herself but she's not the same as she was before. She's guarded... Just don't expect too much when we see her, ok?"

Sam was speechless as he nodded. Not once in his many years locked away did he ever think he was someone worth missing that bad. Sure he expected nate to have a few tears for him, but not Evie. His Evie, the girl he'd sworn he'd one day marry, when he was 17 and entranced by her. She'd been so mad at him the last time they worked together, so when they'd met up for the Prison break in, he'd thought she hated him. He'd never considered that she would be so distraught if something happened to him.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he followed Nate to the car.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx   
It was 5am when the knock came at my hotel room, so quiet that if I'd been asleep I might not have heard it. But as it was, I'd been up for a while, unable to sleep so I'd been watching horror movies on pay to view. 

Needless to say, that put me a little on edge, so when I got up to answer the door, I grabbed my pistol from my pack and held it to the door as I opened it, peering out at the person standing in front of me. When I recognised him, I glared and opened the door wider, clicking the safety back on before tossing my gun back into my bag and stepping aside to allow nate in.

"Jesus dude! When I said breakfast, I meant at a reasonable time! It's barely  even light out..." I mumbled as I turned away and went back to my bed, finding the remote and pausing the TV before turning back to Nate and seeing that he still hadn't moved further into the room or said anything.

"Nate?" I questioned, reaching for.my gun again, wondering what had him on edge. "Nate, you're freaking me out. What's wrong?!" I demanded, seemingly snapping him out of his daze as he stepped aside and called out into the hall.

I frowned, wondering what he was up to... But then all thoughts rushed out of my head as we were joined by someone else. Someone I'd known before. Sure he was older now, and he looked a little different, but I'd have known him anywhere.

"Sam," I breathed, my heart beating erratically as I struggled to process the scene in front of me. "You're alive..."

Sam seemed nervous, but smiled as I spoke and quietly closed the door behind him. "I'm alive," he confirmed quietly, taking a step towards me.

Suddenly I couldn't hold it back any longer and I launched myself at him.

"You bastard!" I screamed as I collided with him, smashing my fist into his cheek quickly enough that he didn't see it coming and couldn't block, but he managed to catch the next few, protecting his face as I lashed out at him, yelling at him all the while. "I thought you were dead! Where the hell have you been? You died! What the fuck?!" I screeched as Nate pulled me away, stopping me from laying into his brother anymore.

Sam seemed shocked at my reaction but I didn't care. I was a little shocked to find out he was alive after all these years.

"Do you have any idea what we went through? We buried you, for fuck sake!" I cried before all the fight left me and I sank to my knees, Nate letting me go. Sam still said nothing, just rubbing his face where I'd hit him.

Silent sobs wracked my body as I struggled to calm down, but I was so mad, and so sad, but so relieved, but mainly angry. Angry that I'd been mourning his death for so long when he wasn't even dead.

"You better explain yourself quickly," I snarled from the floor, looking up at Sam for him to start talking.

Quickly he rushed to explain, telling me about everything that had happened from entering the prison, to leaving it a week before. I listened carefully, my heart hurting when he'd finished. He'd gone through so much and we just left him there. My head fell into my hands and I shook my head.

"Jesus christ, I'm so sorry. Fuck!" 

Sam came closer and kneeled in front of me, reaching out to touch me, but I moved away from his touch and he dropped his hand. "It's not your fault. You didn't know."

I knew he was right, but that didn't make me feel any better. Still, we had bigger fish to fry. Clearly Sam was here for a reason, which was confirmed by Nate a couple of seconds later. "We need your help to pay Alcazar off. Clearly we don't have that kinda cash just laying around... So we're gonna go find it. In the form of Henry Avery's treasure."

I felt my heart drop at the mention of that damned treasure, but I kept my mouth shut until Nate announced he was going home and had to make a few calls. Sam stayed with me, sitting down cautiously in the little kitchen area while I started to clean up a little.   
I could feel his gaze on me as I moved around, but I ignored him until he spoke up, breaking the awful silence in the room. "So Evie, how have you been? Last time I saw you, you were telling Rafe that you loved him. What happened with that?" He asked, earning a glare from me.

I was about to snap that it was none of his business when I remembered that I was partially responsible for him spending the last decade in a foreign prison, so I sat on the edge of my bed and looked at him, figuring I owed him some answers if that's what he wanted.

"After you... When you didn't come back... Rafe, Nate and I went to Scotland, to try and find the treasure. But Nate wasn't in to it. The two of us were still mourning you, but Rafe wanted results and had zero patience for it. So Nate left, he went home, and probably for the best because he and Rafe would have killed each other out there... But I stayed with Rafe... I loved him and I wanted it to work out, so I put up with his obsession for a while, another two years to be exact..." I paused, remembering the day I finally said enough. How Rafes face looked, and how he barely fought for me. "I just had enough one day. Rafe wanted the treasure more than he wanted me, and the damned thing had already made me lose you. So I wasn't  willing to go through it again. So I told Rafe I was leaving, and I've not looked back since."

Sam remained silent for a moment, looking for something to say, but I saved him the trouble, not really wanting his pity anyway. "So you got shot? And fell... Or was that overstated?" I asked, and Sam chuckled before standing up and lifting his tee to show the scars on his abdomen.

I hissed through my teeth at the sight and before I registered what I was doing, I was in front of him, my hand gently brushing over the scars, feeling the rough scar tissue there. Sam tensed up under my touch so I pulled my hand back and looked up and him, meeting his hazel eyes and getting drawn into them the same way I always had. Sam was good at keeping his poker face, but his eyes always gave him away. To me at least... They were an open book.

Sam dropped his shirt but neither of us moved away, not until Sam asked a question so quietly it was barely even a sigh on my skin. "Why did you stay with Rafe if he was such a dick?"

I shrugged and took a step back. "He wasn't always, you know? I loved him, and he loved me. He was so charming, and loving, and funny!" I laughed for a second before remembering how it all went down hill. "But then his obsession with finding the treasure started to take over. He got snappy, defensive... It only got worse once Nate left and we heard about him finding other lost cities and stuff. Rafe was furious... And then one day I realised that he'd changed so much that he was no longer the man I'd fallen for. And then you know the rest... I haven't seen him much since. I got a couple of letters, but I never read them. Didn't see the point..." I trailed off, coming back to myself with a sigh. Enough of story time for now, so I went to make coffee, handing one to Sam before grabbing some clothes and heading to the bathroom for a shower and to get dressed. While I had known Sam forever, I could only walk around in front of him in my underwear for so long before it got weird.

When I got out of the shower, Nate was back, and it was time.

We were going to Italy.


	4. Once a Thief...

The plan was good. It was going to work. I knew it would. But for some reason I had the same sick feeling from the prison job. Something was going to go wrong, I just knew it. 

If not for Sully beside me, I might have bolted, but his large hand was comforting on mine as I gripped his arm, probably tight enough that he knew I was nervous, but he didn't slow down as we headed for the security guards on the door. "You'll be fine, kid," Sully muttered to me around his cigar, giving my hand another reassuring squeeze as we started up the steps. But it wasn't me I was worried about. I knew I could protect myself, and most of the time talk myself out of any trouble. But Sam and Nate were about to make the climb around the heavily guarded Rossi estate and then hopefully be let in by Sully and I. But knowing the Drake brothers, things could get real messy before they even started climbing.

Putting that thought out of my head for a moment, I smiled as we approached the stoney faced security guards on the door. After a quick pat down and checking our names on the list, we were allowed inside.

I loosed a breath and then Sully and I were heading up to find a window to signal the Drakes from. We found a large room with a balcony outside for the boys to climb on, so I carefully opened the window while Sully starred messing with the lamp to signal them.

They were a fair way off, so we had a while before they'd reach us, so I got comfy next to Sully on the seat. The sofa we were on smelled of expensive cologne and tobacco, a scent I found oddly comforting, even if it did make my nose itch. It probably had something to do with the man sitting beside me. Sully had the same scent, and though we'd met when I was too old for him to become my father figure, he had always been the one who stitched up my wounds and gave me advice when I needed it. He was a calming presence, which was good, as I was not the most patient person in the world, and I'd have been climbing the walls if I'd been waiting alone. The only reason I wasn't literally climbing the walls with Sam and Nate was because my figure hugging evening gown wouldn't survive it, and we all had a part to play that night, so the dress was a necessary prop.

As it was, we weren't waiting long for the brothers anyway, and I rose to open the window as the two of them ditched their overalls. When they climbed in, Nate went to greet Sully, but Sam stopped beside me, his eyes running over my entire body, drinking me in. He looked a little lost for words, and I wasn't surprised. He'd never seen me in a dress before, and it was probably the first time he realised I was an actual female.

"Evie.. Wow, you look..."

"Beautiful, I know. Can we move on?" I rolled my eyes, closing the window and ignoring Sam's looks as I turned to the others. But then Nate nodded too.

"He's right, Eve. You scrub up well!"

I had to fight to keep from rolling my eyes again. "You know how many events I had to go to with Rafe? I'm pretty good at looking the part now... Besides, the three of you aren't bad yourselves," I tried in an effort to sound less of a bitch. The nerves were making me ansty, but once I had something to do, it'd be a different matter. So I urged the others out of the room and led them down to the auction hall.

Sully filled the two of them in on the change of plan due to the auction order being shuffled, and thankfully I was to go with the two brothers to watch their backs. Nate was gonna shut the power down and Sam would steal the cross. I'd stay perched on a roof to offer covering fire should they require it, and to be the eyes and ears.

But before all that, we had to get the key card from the manager, whom Nate was tailing in a way that was far too obvious to anyone paying attention. Luckily Sam intervened after Nate missed the second time, offering the distraction while Nate made the grab.

"About time," I hissed as Nate returned with the key card,  slipping through the now open cellar door, swiftly followed by Sam and I, the three of us putting in our ear pieces as we walked.

We were barely to the bottom of the stairs when I heard a voice from Sully's end and stopped in my tracks. Nadine Ross.

Oh she and I had history, unfinished, bloody, history. We'd never got along, even when we were supposed to work together with Rafe, who had introduced us. She was an excellent leader, a brilliant fighter, and a huge bitch. More than once we'd come to blows, and it made for an interesting fight. The two of us were evenly matched most of the time, and we had to be dragged off each other, for fear of us killing each other.  There was such a deep rooted hatred there that neither of us would blink at the thought of it. 

Sam might have missed the Evelyn and Nadine hatred, but Nate most definitely had not, and he knew I was just as likely to march back up the stairs and rip her head off as I was to carry on with the mission. His grip around the top of the arm narrowed chances of one of them happening, and he hissed for me to calm down. We had a mission to complete.  
I was angry, but I complied. Nadine could wait.

Nate released me after a couple of seconds, and I continued behind him, my mind semi clouded with thoughts of Nadine, and who likely accompanied her to the auction. I was not in the mood to bump into him, so the quicker we got out of there, the better.

I was so preoccupied with thinking about Rafe that I didn't realise we weren't alone until it was too late to hide. Nate was already out of view of the waiter, but Sam and I would just draw more attention our way if we tried to duck out of sight. We had to act quickly, the waiter could probably already see us. 

Grabbing Sam by the shirt, I tugged him towards me quickly and whispered a quiet instruction. "Play along."

Then I was kissing him roughly,  urgently, my hands running up his chest and then to his hair, messing up his carefully combed style. He was frozen in surprise for a second before he realised what I was doing and relaxed, kissing me back just as urgently, his own hands roaming over my body freely before suddenly pushing me against the wall and deepening the kiss. 

Not once had I ever imagined kissing Sam Drake like that, but I had to admit, even if he was acting, he was an excellent kisser.

"Non potete essere qui! You must go!" The waiter called as he got closer, having noticed us. We broke apart quickly, and I pretended to be embarrassed at being caught, half hiding my face behind Sam's arm as he faced the waiter and said something in Italian before pulling out his wallet and offering the waiter the money inside. I saw at least €200 change hands, but then the waiter smirked and nodded at us before carrying on on his way. We kept up the act, all over each other again before the waiter was even at the steps.

I moved away from Sams lips to kiss down his neck, spying on the waiter as I did so. Sam moaned quietly and pressed me further into the wall, tilting his head to give me better access. I denied him, tugging his hair gently to find his lips again, feeling the slight smirk he had before he moved, kissing the spot just below my ear, causing my breath to involuntarily hitch in my throat and a small moan of my own to pass my lips.  
Before I could die of embarrassment, Sam was whispering in my ear, his teeth grazing my skin as he spoke. "He's at the door."  
I bit my lip and nodded my head slightly to show I'd understood, and once we'd heard the faint click of the door closing behind him, Sam and I separated, both breathing heavily as a silence stretched on, broken only when Nate stood up from behind the crate he'd hidden behind.

"I'll die happy if I never hear Sam make that noise again," he announced, and I blushed, remembering that he'd just witnesses all that, and Sully had heard it too thanks to the ear pieces.

"Tell me about it. I thought poor Nate was gonna have to sit through it all."

I blushed even deeper and snarled at the pair of them. "It was a cover and it worked. Now can we move on?!"

Silence, so I took that as a yes and went for the bag Sully had stashed earlier, containing my stealthy clothes, ready for anything. Both Drake brothers were silent as I kicked off my shoes, but I turned back to them as I reached for my zipper. "One of you two wanna make yourselves useful and help me out of this dress?"

Nate nudged Sam forward, and I faced the other way as I felt his hands on me again, quickly undoing the zip before stepping away and turning his back like Nate had.

When I was sure no one was going to catch us, I quickly dropped my dress, feeling lighter without the heavy material, and pulled on a bra followed by black leggings, and a plain black tee. My footwear wasn't so stealthy, and Nate raised his eyebrows when he caught sight of them.

"Shut up! They're the only pair I brought with me!" I said defensively, looking down at my worn purple converse. They'd definitely seen better days, and purple wasn't the most inconspicuous colour, but if all went well, I'd spend most of the night on top of a roof somewhere, gun in hand with nothing to do, so no one would see them anyway.  
Which reminded me.  
Reaching back into the bag where I'd dumped my dress, I pulled out my pistol and two spare magazines should things get hairy. Then, I reached in again, feeling my hand close around what I was looking for and pulled it out with a grin.

Before I could offer the two of them one, Sam was laughing and Nate staring at me incredulously.

"Seriously, Eve? You brought share size M&Ms to the most dangerous mission we've done in a while. Do you know how literally dead we're gonna be if we get caught?!" He asked, but I just stared at him, holding out the bag.

"I get snacky. Do you want some or not?" 

Nate rolled his eyes but took some, followed by Sam, who thanked me with a smile. I rolled the bag up and shoved it in my hoodie pocket before following after the two of them, heading through the food cellar into a wine cellar, making my eyes water at the fumes. 

"We're gonna end up doing this whole thing drunk if we don't hurry up," I joked, walking into the dark room ahead of them, knowing the lights had failed. I was prepared to navigate the darkness,  but then Sam flicked his lighter and the area around us was lit up.

After a bit of moving stuff around, the three of us were through and inside the vent, Sam and Nate both whining at the tight fit. My smaller frame meant it wasn't even that uncomfortable, so I just smirked as we moved, hearing people in the rooms we'd just vacated. 

A few guards passed, but then we were free, back outside, and almost to the kitchen. There was a few more walls between us and there though, so Sam and Nate took it in turns to boost each other up while I was already up there.

"How does she do that?!" I heard Nate whisper, and before I could, Sam answered him.

"Hardcore parkour."

For a second I was stunned that he remembered. He'd asked me the same question when I was 19 and I'd given him the same answer. It almost made me smile, but then he was beside me and I turned my face away, pretending to look for my next path.

"The kitchen door is just there," I nodded. "So how are we gonna do this? Lure someone out,or break in?" I asked.

The brothers shared a look and then shrugged, so I took the lead again, pointing at a ladder on the next wall. "We jump down, one of you can kick down that ladder and then the three of us can find an open window and take down a waiter. Then Sam can go back to the ball room and Nate and I will carry on. Let's go," I ordered and jumped down to the next level.

I'd only taken one step when the kitchen door was suddenly wide open and a waiter was standing in front of me, a shocked look on his face as he froze, a cigarette hanging from his lips. I didn't even manage one word before Sam was dropping on top of him, knocking him out before he could raise the alarm.

"Jeez Sam, easy on the civilians!" Nate called, jumping down after him as Sam started dragging the waiter back into the kitchen. 

"So he wakes up with a headache in his underwear. We've all been there right?" He laughed and I shook my head at him.

"Classy," I shot, but he just winked at me before disappearing into the kitchen and closing the door behind him.

I rolled my eyes and chuckled despite myself, following Nate up the ladder and into the next garden area.

"We're nearly at the cell tower. Sam, everything alright?" Nate asked after a moment, and I heard Sams voice in my ear piece.

"Yeah, everythings fine... The pants are a bit tight though. What is with the style these days?" Sam complained, and I heard Nate snigger.

"I'm sure thats got nothing to do with yours and Eve's little performance..." He mocked, and I smacked him upside the head.

"Ow!" He hissed, and I glared at him, daring him to say something else. Wisely he kept his mouth shut, and Sam ignored him too. 

"I'm on my wall to the ballroom now, I'll be in touch," he whispered and then some crackling noises interfered and I figured the signal was bad. 

We climbed one more wall and then I tapped Nate on the arm, nodding in the other direction. "This is where I leave you. When you get out, I'll be on one of those roof tops. You get into any trouble, tap the mic three times and I'll come find you." He nodded and went to turn away but I grabbed his arm to give him one last warning. "Be careful, Nate."

He nodded and left, so I took a deep breath and then started running towards the edge of the balcony, using the railing as a spring board, I launched myself into thin air, watching the ground rush past 4 stories below, but then I was on the roof of the next building, and running again, seeing the roof I needed to get to if I wanted to be able to get to everyone in the same amount of time.

I got there quickly, no one spotting me, so I sat down and began the wait.

After about 10 minutes, Sully's voice came through my earpiece, saying the words I did not want to hear that night but knew I probably would have anyway. "Rafe's here."

My blood ran cold at the thought of seeing him and my hand tightened on my gun, knowing how dangerous he was, and what he was willing to do to find the treasure.

"Sam, make sure you stay out of his sight. He is harbouring a personal hatred for you Drakes. I don't know what he'd do if he saw you," I explained quickly, praying Sam had heard me, but then he was answering me quietly.

"Don't worry about me, Sweetheart. I can handle rich boy."

I wanted to scream at him that Rafe wasn't the same guy as before, but then came three taps through my ear, and I shot to my feet, not hesitating as I started running back the way I'd came. "I'm on my way, Nate," I promised, just as the lights went off behind me and people screamed. There was about five seconds before the lights came back on and Sams voice spoke again. 

"I'm got the cross. I'm on my way out."

I didn't even bother with a reply. Nate was in trouble, so I needed to get there quickly. I'd just cleared a big jump when I suddenly saw guards up ahead, guns out and flashlights to search the area, I skid my landing, scraping across the backs of my legs as I ducked behind a chimney just in time to avoid being spotted.

Cursing quietly, I dusted myself off and spoke quietly to the ear piece. "I've got company. Just hang in there, Nate. Things are likely about to get messy."

Carefully I removed the safety from my gun and peered around the chimney to count the guards. If I got out of there without getting shot, it'd be a miracle. Sighing I counted my bullets, knowing I had to make every shot count. As soon as I shot the first guard, more would come

Samuel Drake owed me big time...

"Here we go," I whispered before rolling out of cover and taking aim.


	5. Lights Out

I was just about to take my first shot when there came another tap in my ear and then Nate was whispering to me. "Eve, do not shoot! There's more guys coming. Get under cover now, I can climb round. I'll meet you at the ballroom."

I hesitated for a second, but then I heard the sounds of more guards, just as Nathan had said, so I growled and turned, ducking away again.

It didn't feel right to be running away, but at the same time, if I didn't,  the two of us could end up dead. Besides, Nate wasn't a kid anymore. He didn't need me to watch his back. He'd survived plenty on his own, so I should concentrate on my own problems. Which was exactly what I did. Jumping back to the roof I'd came from, I risked a quick look around and saw Nate dart into the shadow of a building to avoid being seen. Clearly he'd attracted some attention though as guards were heading his way, muttering in Italian.

Knowing I could move faster, I grabbed the M&Ms from my pocket and got a handful out before launching one at the three men advancing on Nate's position. It hit the middle guy in the back of the head and he spun around, his gun raised. The other two turned with him, questioning him. He looked like he might shrug it off when I threw the rest of them at them before ducking down.   
There was an angry shout and the sound of multiple footsteps coming my way, so I figured it was time to leave and stayed low as I sprinted across the roof and threw myself onto the next one. Only after I'd jumped did I realise it was too far, and I started to drop.

Before I could scream, my hands grabbed a window sill a floor beneath and my body slammed into the building with enough force for.me to lose my grip and fall again, managing to catch another window sill. From there I just dropped to the ground, deciding it'd probably be quicker as most the guards seemed to be higher up.

After a couple of seconds though, I realised why being on the ground was an issue as all the doors and gates were locked. Growling quietly, I started climbing up the walls again, muttering quietly to myself for wasting time. Sam and Nate had been talking in my ear, but it had all gone quiet until Sully was suddenly speaking, telling us to hurry the hell up. I was just about to shoot back that maybe he should try climbing around in the dark and see how fast he moved, but then Nate was talking about Nadine, and my blood froze.

"You ok? Did she hurt you? Where is she?" I asked, getting angry at the thought of her hurting my friends. If I bumped into her on my way out, she was gonna be sorry.

"There's no time for that now! Get to the ballroom. I'm pinned down in here!" Sam urged, and I sped up, loving the burn in my muscles from climbing. It was a good thing I'd kept in shape all the years I hadn't been adventuring, or I'd have been screwed that night.

When I eventually made it back to a high vantage point, I caught sight of Nate a few roofs over, hiding from three guards, none of which had spotted him yet. Even as I watched, I saw Nate sneak up behind one of them and knock them out, leaving two.

I started running over roofs, jumping to clear the gaps and then finally there was only one jump between me and Nate. The guard above him hadn't seen either of us yet, so I didn't slow down and I jumped and tackled him off the roof and into the grass below, taking out the other guard in the same move.

"Shit, Eve!" Nate exclaimed as he stood up, dusting his suit off before giving me a hand up. I just grinned at him before seeing the bruises developing on his face and my laughter left. Nate saw the change and waved off my hand as I reached out to touch one.

"You know I'm not 12 any more right? You don't have to fight for me anymore," he chuckled and I gave him a look before shaking my head.

"I know, but you'll always be my responsibility to protect, no matter how old or big you get," I smirked, though there was truth in my words. He may be a full grown adult, but there was always part of me that still thought of him as my younger brother getting picked on by the bigger kids.

Another round of gunfire from the ballroom had the two of us sprinting up the stairs and onto the roof again, seeing a wire that led directly to the ball room. It was a long way, and a big drop, but we didn't have a choice as Sam yelled that he needed back up again.

Nate and I shared a look before he held out his arm to me. "Shall we?" 

Nodding, I stepped closer and wrapped my arms tight around him. "Do not drop me!"

Nate laughed and jumped for the wire. Then we were moving, fast enough that I worried about stopping before we splattered against the stone walls waiting on the other end, but just before I could yell at Nate that we'd need to jump, the wire snapped and suddenly the two of us were hurtling for the ground. 

We both screamed as the ground rushed up to meet us, but then Nate had the wire again and we were swinging around the corner, still screaming as we suddenly smashed through a window and went flying, landing hard on the marble floor. 

Gunfire sounded all around us, but I was slightly dazed and didn't figure out what was happening until fingers were digging into the top of my arm and pulling me across the floor. I looked up to see Sam, a gun in his hands as he pulled me behind the table with him, taking cover from the guards who were shooting at us.

He yelled something at me, but my ears were ringing from the gunfire, so I just nodded and grabbed my gun, popping up to loose a few rounds, each hitting their target before I ducked back under cover and looked around for Nathan. 

He was slightly behind us, returning fire and still breathing,  though he was bleeding from multiple cuts from the glass we'd smashed through. Still, he was fine, and we needed to get out of there. 

Grabbing Sam's arm, I yelled for him to cover me before diving out of cover and rolling behind a pillar, shooting around it before running to the next one, almost getting shot in the face by a guard I hadn't seen hiding behind it. Shoving his gun aside, I heard it fire and silently thanked my reactions for getting it out of my face fast enough. Then I drove the heel of my hand into his face, feeling his nose break before slamming my knee into his groin and then hitting him across the face with my gun as he doubled over. 

He collapsed to the ground, unconscious, and I moved on, returning fire as I moved to get the angle on the guards.

I jumped into an office looking room and shot some more before jumping out and running towards the door, calling for the other two to hurry up and get out.

We just reached the door when I saw more guards waiting outside, their guns trained on the door.

"Shit, get down!" I yelled as I dove for cover, covering my head as I hit the ground and the wall above me started crumbling with gunfire.

Nate and Sam were already taking guards down by the time I was back on my feet.

"Sully where are you?" I yelled into my ear piece, but was greeted by only silence until suddenly a white car came crashing through the wall.

"Anyone call for a limo?" 

I almost laughed, but there was too many guards and we had to run, so the three of us did, and I dove into the car first, Nate next and then finally Sam before Sully pulled off and shot out of there, slowing down for nothing until we'd put a few miles between us and the mess we left behind.

It was like we'd been holding our breath, but once the gunfire had faded into the distance and we found out we weren't being followed, I couldn't help it. I started to laugh.

It started as just a little giggle, and I felt everyone in the car turn to look at me, but the more I tried to stop it, the funnier it seemed, and before long I was full on laughing, tears streaming down my face. Sam was always on the same wave length as me, and he'd started too. Poor Nate looked at the two of us like we were crazy before climbing over the seats and settling into the passenger seat, sharing a look with Sully.

"What's their issue?" Sully asked, nodding back at the two of us, but Nate just shook his head and sighed, smiling despite himself.

"They've been like this since they met. It's best to just let them get it out."

He wasn't wrong, and it only took another 3 miles before the two of us calmed down, and I sat back with a sigh, the smile still on my face even though my sides hurt now, in addition to every other part of my body.

I was just closing my eyes when Sam suddenly swore and I opened my eyes when I felt his warm hand in my own, lifting my arm up gently. I was just about to ask him what he was doing when he met my eyes. "How can you not feel that?" 

I looked down and saw the massive piece of glass sticking out of my forearm. How I'd missed it when fighting, I'd never know.

"That's just uncalled for!" I whined, turning my arm to get a better look. It looked pretty deep, but wasn't that painful, so I looked up at Sully.

"You got a first aid kit in here?" I asked, touching the glass lightly.

Sully shook his head. "There's one back at the--JESUS EVELYN!" He yelled as he saw me in the mirror as I yanked the piece of glass out of my arm and suddenly blood was dripping everywhere.

"Whoops," I shrugged as Sam quickly grabbed Sully's jacket that he'd thrown in the back and pushed it against the cut, applying pressure.

"Ow!" I complained, trying to pull back, but he gave me a look and didn't let go. 

"That's what you get for ripping the glass out of your arm before we had a first aid kit. Now stop moving!"

Narrowing my eyes at him, I was tempted to move again just to wind him up, but then we were pulling up at Sully's apartment and climbing out. I'd already been there that morning to get ready for the job, but Sam and Nate never had and I could see the awe in their eyes as we went in.

"Nice place, Sully!" Nate whistled as he looked around and Sam nodded his agreement as he led me over to the table, trying not to let any blood drip on the floor. Sully had gone ahead of us to get the first aid kit and set it up on the table before wandering into the kitchen to get drinks, leaving Sam to help me.

The bleeding had almost stopped at that point, so when Sam pulled the jacket back, he only had to clean away the blood and make sure there was no glass in the wound before bandaging it up. 

"Doesn't look like you'll need stitches," he reported, and I nodded and thanked him, letting him finish my arm before I shifted the first aid kit and sat down on the table. Sam looked like he was going to get up and go find Sully in the kitchen, but I stopped him with my foot and pointed to his head.

"You've got a few cuts of your own. Let me clean you up," I ordered, and Sam relaxed, letting me clean the blood from his face and then start dabbing gently at the wound above his temple. 

His winced and caught my hand to pull it away from the cut. "Still got that gentle touch, I see," he teased and I pulled a face before putting the cotton wool down and standing up.

"And you're still a baby," I shot back, but he just winked at me and held onto my hand.

"Hey, once upon a time I'd have got a kiss for the pain," he hinted, and I couldn't help the small smile as I remembered. He was right. It had started when Nate broke a couple of his fingers when he was 13, and I'd kissed him better. Sam had then started complaining about pain so I'd kissed him too. It had been custom from then on. If one of them got hurt, once I patched them up, they got a kiss for the pain. 

It'd been a long time since I last kissed any of them, except for Sam at the auction, but I was in a good mood after getting the cross, so I leaned forward and gently kissed Sam on the forehead, careful to avoid the cut on the side.

"Feel better, Sam," I whispered, my lips barely grazing his skin as I spoke.

Someone cleared their throat behind us, so I straightened and turned, Sam's hand dropping from mine. Sully and Nate stood in the doorway, looking both awkward and amused.

"Are we interrupting something?" Sully asked with his eyebrows raised. I shook my head and started clearing away the med kit. 

"Just patching him up. You got a hammer?"

Sully nodded and passed it to Sam, who pulled the cross from his pocket and turned it over in his hands.

He lifted the hammer to remove the top of the cross but then hesitated, looking up at the rest of us. "Hope I don't go to hell for this," he chuckled before slamming the hammer down.

Eagerly he picked up the cross and looked inside, but almost immediately his face fell. "It's empty," he breathed, and for a second I flashed back to the last argument Rafe and I had had before I left. He'd hit another dead end, and he'd lost it, smashing up his office and scaring off the mercs until it was just him and I in the room. Even Nadine had vacated the vicinity. It had not been a good time, but eventually I'd calmed Rafe down and sat with him through that awful silence he sank into when he failed. I hated to see him so broken, which was why I suggested he give up and search for another treasure. That woke him, but not in the way I'd hoped, and the following argument was when I knew that I was leaving. He was obsessed by the treasure and I knew that if he didn't stop, one day it would get him killed. 

I came back to myself as Sam smirked and tipped the cross so the scroll inside tumbled out onto the table.

"You asshole!" I yelled as I shoved him in the arm, restarting my heart. He just laughed and popped the seal on the scroll. 

"So Avery, where did you hide your treasure?"


End file.
